Co-occurrence and distribution of deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and zearalenone in wheat from Brazil

ABSTRACT

Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV) and zearalenone (ZEN) were investigated in wheat from the 2009 and 2010 crop years. Samples (n = 745) from commercial fields were collected in four wheat producing regions (WPR) which differed in weather conditions. Analyses were performed using HPLC-DAD. Contamination with ZEN, DON and NIV occurred in 56, 86 and 50%, respectively. Also, mean concentrations were different: DON = 1046 µg kg⁻¹, NIV < 100 µg kg⁻¹ and ZEN = 82 µg kg⁻¹. Co-occurrence of ZEN, DON and NIV was observed in 74% of the samples from 2009 and in 12% from 2010. Wet/cold region WPR I had the highest mycotoxin concentration. Wet/moderately hot region WPR II had the lowest mycotoxin levels. Furthermore, the mean concentration of each mycotoxin was higher in samples from 2009 as compared with those from 2010. Precipitation during flowering or harvest periods may explain these results.

KEYWORDS:

• Fusarium mycotoxin
• HPLC-DAD
• cereal
• contamination
• wheat producing region

Acknowledgement

We are thankful to Luiz Carlos Rodrigues for providing the illustration service used in this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are thankful to São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP [grant number 2009/ 09912-7], [grant number 2010/02088-4], [grant number 2010/09565-2], [grant number 2011/20489-9] and [grant number 2012/17683-0] and to National Council of Research – CNPq [grant number 2010/2331 – PIBIC].